and many common Soldiers, and they took five Men, CHAP. nine Women, and five Children Prisoners.

The Five Nations in a few Days had however some Revenge; a Captain having had Orders to guard the Veffels from Montreal to Quebeck, a Party of the Five Nations attacked him in his Return, as he paffed through the Islands in Lake St. Pierre. He himfelf was killed, and the whole Party intirely routed.

The French all this Summer were obliged to keep upon the defensive within their Forts, while the Five Nations, in fmall Parties, ravaged the whole Country, fo that no Man ftirred the leaft Distance from a Fort, but he was in danger of lofing his Scalp.

The Count de Frontenac was pierced to the Heart, when he found that he could not revenge thefe terrible Incurfions of the Five Nations; and his Anguish made him guilty of fuch a Piece of monftrous Cruelty, in burning a Prifoner alive after the Indian Manner, as though I have frequently mentioned to have been done by the Indians, yet I forbore giving the Particulars of fuch barbarous Acts, fufpecting it might be too offenfive to Chriftian Ears, even in the Hiftory of Savages. Here however I think it useful to give a circumftantial Account of this horrid Act, to fhew on one Hand, what Courage and Refolution, Virtue, the Love of Glory, and the Love of one's Country can inftill into Mens Minds, even where the Knowledge of true Religion is wanting; and on the other Hand, how far a falfe Policy, under a corrupt Religion, can debafe even great Minds.

The Count de Frontenac, I fay, condemned two Prifoners of the Five Nations to be burnt publickly alive. The Intendant's Lady intreated him to moderate the Sentence, and the Jefuits, it is faid, ufed their Endeavours for the fame Purpose. But the Count de Frontenac faid, there is a Neceffity of

K 4

making

VIL

CHAP. making fuch an Example, to frighten the Five NaVII. tions from approaching the Plantations, fince the Indulgence, that had hitherto been fhewn, had in-. couraged them to advance with the greatest Boldnefs to the very Gates of their Towns; while they thought they run no other Rifque, but of being made Prisoners, where they live better than at Home. He added, that the Five Nations having burnt fo many French, juftified this Method of making Reprizals. But with Submiffion to the Politenefs of the French Nation, may I not afk, whether every (or any) horrid Action of a barbarous Enemy, can juftify a civilized Nation in doing the like?

2

When the Governor could not be moved, the Jefuits went to the Prifon, to inftruct the Prisoners in the Myfteries of our Holy Religion, viz. of the Trinity, the Incarnation of our Saviour, the Joys of Paradife, and the Punishments of Hell, to fit their Souls for Heaven by Baptifm, while their Bodies were condemned to Torments. But the Indians, after they had heard their Sentence, refused to hear the Jefuits fpeak, and began to prepare for Death in their own Country Manner, by finging their Death Song.

. Some charitable Perfon threw a Knife into the Prifon, with which one of them dispatched himself: The other was carried out to the Place of Execution by the Chriftian Indians of Loretto, to which he walked, feemingly, with as much Indifference as ever Martyr did to the Stake, While they were torturing him, he continued finging, that he was a Warrior brave and without Fear; that the moft cruel Death could not fhake his Courage; that the most cruel Torment fhould not draw an indecent Expreffion from him; that his Comrade was a Coward, a Scandal to the Five Nations, who had killed himself for fear of Pain; that he had the Comfort to reflect, that he had made many Frenchmen tuffer as he did now. He fully verified his Words, for the most violent Torment could not

force

force the leaft Complaint from him, though his Executioners tried their utmoft Skill to do it. They firft broiled his Feet between two red hot Stones; then they put his Fingers into red hot Pipes, and though he had his Arms at Liberty, he would not pull his Fingers out; they cut his Joints, and taking hold of the Sinews, twifted them round fmall Bars of Iron. All this while he kept finging and recounting his own brave Actions against the French. At last they flead his Scalp from his Skull, and poured fcalding hot Sand upon it; at which Time" the Intendant's Lady obtained Leave of the Governor to have the Coup-de-grace given, and I believe the thereby likewife obtained a Favour to every Reader, in delivering him from a further continuance of this Account of French Cruelty.

Notwithstanding this Cruelty, which the French Governor manifefted towards the Five Nations, and thereby his Hatred of them, he found Peace with them so neceffary to Canada, that he still pursued it by all the Means in his Power. For this Purpofe the Praying Indians (who, as I obferved before, are Mohawks, and have always kept a Correfpondence with their own Nation) were employed to bring it about, and to endeavour a Ceflation of Arms, that the Governor might have an Opportunity of fhewing what kind Things he had in his Heart towards the Five Nations, but without Succefs.

CHA P. VIII. ·

The Five Nations treat with Captain Ingoldfby.

TH

HE Governor of New-York, Colonel Slaugh. CHA P. ter's Death, foon after his Arrival, was very VIII. prejudicial to the Affairs of New-York; for Captain Ingoldby, who had no other Commiffion but that of Captain of one of the Independent Companies of

Foot,

CHA P. Foot, took upon himself the Government of the VIII. Province, without any Authority; and he having likewife highly offended a great Number of the People, by the Share he took in the late Party Quarrels, it was not eafy for him to profecute any vigorous Measures. He was reckoned to be much more a Soldier than a Statesman.

Captain Ingoldfby met the Five Nations at Alba. ny, the fixth of June 1692. In his Speech, he told them of his vigorous Refolutions to profecute the War, and then blamed them for not fending (according to their Promise) a Party down Cadarackui River, to join them that went from Albany againft Montreal, and for their Carelefnefs in fuffering themfelves to be surprised laft Winter in their Hunting. He defired them to keep the Enemy in perpetual Alarm, by the Incurfions of their Parties into the Enemy's Country, and to give him timely Notice of all their Motions. He told them in the next Place, that he heard the French were still using their wonted Artifice, of amufing them with Offers of Peace; but the former Proceedings of the French fufficiently demonftrates, faid he to the Brethren, that while Peace is in their Mouths, War is in their Hearts, and the late horrid Murder of the Brethren, after Quarter given, fufficiently fhews the Perfidy and Rancour of their Hearts. It is in vain, faid he, to think of any Ceffation of Arms, much lefs of a Peace, while the two Kings are at War at Home. He added, Virginia is ready to affift us, and only waits the King's Orders, which are daily expected, and then renewed the Chain for Virginia. In the laft Place he told them, that he heard the Dionondadas had fent two Prifoners Home, with a View thereby to procure Peace; and advised them by all Means to make Peace with that Nation.

The

The Five Nations anfwered by Cheda, an Oneydo CHA P. Sachem:

« Brother Corlear,

The Sachems of the Five Nations have with great Attention heard Corlear fpeak; we fhall make a fhort Recital, to fhew you with what Care we have hearkened. After the Recital he continued.

We heartily thank Corlear, for his coming to this Place to view the Strength thereof, for his bringing Forces with him, and for his Refolution of putting Garifons into the Frontier Places. Giving five Bevers and a Belt.

Brother Corlear, as to what you blame us for, let us not reproach one another, fuch Words do not favour well among Friends. They gave nothing with this Article.

Brother Corlear, be patient under the Lofs of your Men, as we are of the Mohawks our Brethren, that were killed at the fame Time. You take no Notice of the great Loffes we have fuffered. We defigned to have come to this Place to have condoled with you in your Lofs, but the War took up all our Time, and employed all Hands. They gave five Bevers, four Otters, and one Belt, as a Gift of Condolence.

Brother Corlear, we are all Subjects of one great King and Queen, we have one Head, one Heart, one Intereft, and are all ingaged in the fame War. You tell us, that we must expect no Peace while the Kings are at War on the other Side the great Water. We thank you for being fo plain with us. We affure you we have no Thoughts of Peace. We are refolved to carry on the War, though we know we only are in danger of being Lofers. Pray do you profecute the War with the fame Refoluti

on.

You are strong and have many People. You have a great King, who is able to hold out long.

We

VIII.